Methods and systems for conducting remote communications

Abstract

A mobile communications device for communicating with a server over a network, including a visual interface device that displays data, an audio interface device that receives acoustic input and converts the acoustic input to data, a network connection, a memory containing an applications program, and a processor operably coupled to the visual interface device, the audio interface device, and the memory, wherein the applications program is executed on the processor. The applications program locally generates graphical user interfaces with the visual interface and controls the input of data via the audio interface and the transmission of such data over the network to the server such that the data are accessible to a recipient. The applications program also controls the retrieval of electronic messages from a server. In a particular embodiment, the mobile communications device further includes a tactile interface device for navigating data, the tactile interface device operably coupled to the processor.

1 . A mobile communications device for communicating with a server over a network, the device comprising: 
 a visual interface device that displays data;    an audio interface device that receives acoustic input and converts the acoustic input to data;    a network connection;    a memory containing an applications program;    a processor operably coupled to the visual interface device, the audio interface device, and the memory, wherein the applications program is executed on the processor; and    wherein the applications program includes instructions and criteria to locally generate graphical user interfaces so as to be displayed on the visual interface, to control the input of data via the audio interface, the transmission of such data over the network to the server such that the data are accessible to a recipient, and the retrieval of electronic messages from a server.    
     
     
         2 . The device as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a tactile interface device that is operably coupled to the processor by which a user can navigate the data being displayed on the visual interface.  
     
     
         3 . The device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the network connection is adapted and configured to connect to a data network and the applications program includes instructions and criteria so as to transmit and receive such data wholly over a data network.  
     
     
         4 . The device as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the applications program includes instructions and criteria to display data with the visual interface device and to navigate data using the tactile interface device.  
     
     
         5 . The device as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the applications program includes instructions and criteria for retrieving and visually reviewing a listing of electronic mail messages with the visual interface device, selecting a specific user-specified electronic mail message from the list to visualize with the visual interface device, and creating a spoken response to the electronic mail message with the audio interface device for transmission and subsequent access and review via an electronic mail account.  
     
     
         6 . The device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the audio interface device receives data and converts the data to acoustic output.  
     
     
         7 . The device as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the data converted from the acoustic input is stored in the memory to be audibly reviewed by a user with the audio interface device before being transmitted over the network.  
     
     
         8 . The device as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the applications program includes instructions and criteria for receiving data representing audio messages from a server and for playing the received data via the audio interface device.  
     
     
         9 . The device as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the applications program includes instructions and criteria to receive and decode base 64  encoded audio messages.  
     
     
         10 . The device as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the applications program includes instructions and criteria to request and receive data from the server, which can be rendered audibly with the audio interface device.  
     
     
         11 . The device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the tactile interface device allows for textual input that can be transmitted over the network.  
     
     
         12 . The device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the applications program is downloaded to the device via an over-the-air distribution network.  
     
     
         13 . A multimedia messaging system for communicating with a server, the server having an architecture including interface/connector subsystems that receive, process, and deliver messages that include metadata and whose content can be of different types delivered to and from devices and computer platforms of different types, over different channels, using different protocols and interfaces, the system comprising: 
 a mobile communication device operationally coupled to the server; said mobile communication device including:    a visual interface device that displays data;    an audio interface device that receives acoustic input and converts the acoustic input to data;    a network connection;    a memory containing an applications program;    a processor operably coupled to the visual interface device, the audio interface device, and the memory, wherein the applications program is executed on the processor; and    wherein the applications program includes instruction and criteria for locally generating graphical user interfaces and displaying same with the visual interface and controlling the input of data via the audio interface and the transmission of such data over the network to the server such that the data or instructions for data access are accessible to a recipient via a text-based application.    
     
     
         14 . A computer readable medium whose contents cause a mobile communications device to perform messaging with a remote communications device, the mobile communications device having an audio interface for converting an acoustic input to data representing the acoustic input and for converting data to acoustic output and the remote communications device having an applications program with functions for messaging, the contents of said computer readable medium including instructions, criteria and code segments for: 
 generating graphical user interfaces in the mobile communications device by accessing instructions stored locally in the mobile communications device;    storing locally in the mobile communications device data converted from acoustic input with the audio interface; and    transmitting the data representing acoustic input to a remote communications device via a data network such that the data or instructions for data access are accessible to a recipient via a text-based application.    
     
     
         15 . The computer readable medium as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the contents of said computer readable medium further includes instructions, criteria and code segments for: 
 receiving data by communicating with a remote communications device via a network; and    visualizing data with a graphical user interface of the mobile communications device.    
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said transmitting and receiving data are conducted via a data network.  
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the contents of said computer readable medium further includes instructions, criteria and code segments for: converting data to acoustic output via the audio interface.  
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the contents of said computer readable medium further includes instructions, criteria and code segments for: 
 retrieving electronic mail messages;    visually reviewing a listing of electronic mail messages with the graphical user interface;    selecting a specific electronic mail message from the list to visualize; and    creating a spoken response to the electronic mail message with the audio interface for transmission and subsequent access and review via an electronic mail account.    
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the contents of said computer readable medium further includes instructions, criteria and code segments for: 
 receiving from the remote communications device data representing audio messages; and    audibly rendering the audio messages via the audio interface.    
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the contents of said computer readable medium further includes instructions, criteria and code segments for: 
 storing in the memory of the mobile communications device binary data representing acoustic input; and    transmitting the binary data to a uniform resource locator supplied by the remote communications device.    
     
     
         21 . The computer readable medium as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the contents of said computer readable medium further includes instructions, criteria and code segments for: 
 receiving data from the remote communications device, the data including a portion representing a voice message and information that allows the data representing the voice message to be distinguished from other data; and    processing the data representing the voice message separately from other data.